Article carrier



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ARTICLE CARRIER Filed May 28, 1964 INVENTOR THEODORE C. BAKER BY n? if K I I, /7/LMW United States Patent M 3,270,944 ARTICLE CARRIER Theodore C. Baker, New Canaan, Conn, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed May 28, 1964, Ser. No. 370,884 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-40) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in carriers adapted to be wrapped around a plurality of like articles to form a readily handleable package.

Carriers of the type to which this invention relates are well known, and are primarily utilized for the packaging of containers, such as cans, bottles, etc. In the past such carriers have been provided with straight side edges wherein the blanks from which the carriers are formed are rectangular in outline. It is, however, not necessary to provide for the complete engagement of the upstanding walls and ends of the containers by the carrier in order to retain the containers within the carrier.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel carrier or wrapper blank which has scalloped or scroll cut edges wherein in the formation of adjacent blanks, material of the adjacent blanks is taken away from each blank and forms projecting portions of the other blank whereby less material is required to form each carrier blank than is required when the carrier blank is rectangular in outline and has straight sides.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wraparound carrier which has panel portions thereof cut away so as to expose to view a substantial area of the end-most ones of package items without impairing the article gripping action of the carrier.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a Wrapper or carrier blank for packaging a plurality of articles in a unitary package group with scalloped or scroll cut edges whereby nesting of one blank with an adjacent blank is possible thereby to effect substantial savings of material from which the blank is formed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a wraparound carrier blank which is provided with scalloped or scroll out side edges and wherein the configurations of the side edges is such that adjacent blanks cut from a single sheet will have a common boundary for a major portion thereof and with adjacent blanks having the ends thereof terminating substantially in alignment whereby each blank extends substantially the full width of the material from which it is formed to eliminate the loss of material at the ends of the blank while gaining the advantage of material cut from an adjacent blank.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel blank for a wrap-around carrier wherein the resultant carrier is provided along fold lines between atljacent panels thereof with material for the full length of the carrier and wherein the carrier blank is recessed between adjacent fold lines with the material omitted from the carrier blank along the recessed areas being incorporated in an adjacently formed carrier blank at the fold lines thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel carrier blank which includes a centrally disposed panel and two side panels and wherein the width of the centrally disposed panel corresponds generally to the width of each side panel, the blank having scalloped edges whereby major side edges of adjacent blanks may be defined by a common out line, and the geometry of the scalloped edges being such to provide three identical scalloped convolutions extending between the remote edges of the side panels with each scalloped convolutions being symmetrical about the center thereof and with the propor- 3,279,944 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 tions of the widths of the central panel and the side panels only being such that fold lines between the central panel and the side panels intersect the side edges of the blank along projecting portions thereof.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a package formed of six conventional cans about which there is wrapped a carrier formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a carrier blank for forming the package of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of sheet material showing the manner in which a plurality of carrier blanks may be formed therefrom with a minimum of material waste.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a sheet of material showing adjacent portions of carrier blanks having a common scalloped or scroll line which is curved as opposed to the straight line scallop of the carrier blanks shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the figures in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a package which is generally referred to by the numeral 10. The package 10 is formed of a plurality of cans 11 which are disposed in two rows, and a wrap-around carrier, which is generally referred to by the numeral 12. The carrier 12 is formed from a blank which is best illustrated in FIG- URE 2, and is generally referred to by the numeral 13.

The blank 13 is of an elongated configuration and is divided into a plurality of panels by transverse fold lines. These panels include a central panel 14 which is separated from adjacent side panels 15 and 16 by fold lines 17 and 18, respectively. The side panel 15 has connected thereto along a fold line 19 a lap panel 20. A second lap panel 21 is connected to the side panel 16 along a fold line 22.

In the forming of the package 10, the lap panels 19 and 20 are brought into partial overlapping relation and are locked together. In order to facilitate the locking together of the overlapping portions of the panels 20 and 21, the lap panel 21 is provided adjacent a free edge 23 thereof with a pair of widely spaced latch openings 24. The latch openings 24 are generally trapezoidal in outline and have narrow sides disposed remote from the edge 23 of the lap panel 21. The latch openings 24 are provided with silts 25 extending from opposite ends of the narrow side thereof. Due to the particular configuration of the carrier blank 13, the lap panel 21 is provided with another opening 26 which is centrally located and which corresponds generally to the latch openings 24. However, the opening 26 differs from the latch opening 24 in that it extends entirely through the edge 23 of the lap panel 21. The latch opening 26 is provided at the inner end thereof with transversely extending slits 27 which are aligned and which correspond to the slits 25.

The terminal edge of the lap panel 20 is provided with a plurality of latching flaps 28 which are hingedly connected to the lap panel 20 along fold lines 29 which are in alignment with each other. The outermost ones of the fold lines 29 are interrupted by centrally located C-shaped cuts 30 which define edges 31 that are pivotal with the latching flaps 16.

Each latching flap 28 has a projecting tongue 32 which is connected to the remainder of the latching flap 28 along a transverse fold line 33, the fold lines 33 being in alignment. Each projecting tongue 32 is provided with a pair of opposed slits 34.

It is also pointed out that each of the fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 22 is interrupted and the adjacent portion of a respective one of the side panels 15 and 16 is provided with a plurality of C-shaped cuts 35. Each of the cuts 35, when the carton blank is folded along arespective one of the transverse fold lines, defines a projecting flap 36 and an opening 37 whereby an interlock may be formed between the carton 12 and the projecting seam 38 of an associated can 11 in the manner best shown in FIGURE 1. Each of the transverse fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 22 is provided with one C-shaped cut 35 for each can 11 disposed in a row of cans. It is also to be noted that the C-shaped cuts 35 are centered on the center of the cans 11. It is to be further noted that each of the side panels 15 and 16 is provided with a out line 39 disposed substantially at the center of each cut line 35 and extending normal to the associated fold line. The cut lines 39 provide for a slight outward bowing of the side panels 15 and 16 adjacent their intersections with the central panel 14 and a respective one of the lap panels 20 and 21.

In order to effect a separation of the cans 11 in the two rows of cans and to prevent a riding up of the seams of cans in the two rows over one another, the lap panel 21 is provided with a plurality of generally trapezoidal outlined tabs 40 which are adapted to project between cans of the two rows which are in transversely adjacent relation.

In order to facilitate the opening of the package 12, the central panel 14 is provided with a generally half-moon shaped cut out 41 adjacent one side edge thereof. A pair of transversely extending weakening lines 42 extend from the cut out 41 and define a rip strip 43 which may be torn from the central panel 14 in the opening of the package In the formation of the package 10, six cans 11 are disposed in two rows of three cans each after which the central panel 14 is positioned in overlying relation to the tops of the cans 11. The side panels 15 and 16 are then folded down alongside the cans 11 after which the lap panel 21 is folded beneath the cans 11 followed by the folding of the lap panel therebeneath. The lap panels 20 and 21 are then latched together by means of the afore-described latching elements of the two lap panels.

It is to be noted that in the package 10, the cans 11 are interlocked with the carton 12 primarily along the corners thereof, that is along the fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 22 of the carton blank 13. The central panel 14, which becomes the top panel of the carton 12, prevents the upward movement of the cans 11 while the interlocked lap panels 20 and 21 form the bottom of the carton 12 and prevent endwise movement of the cans 11. Sidewise movement of the cans 11, both transversely and longitudinally of the carton 12, is prevented by the interlocking of the cans 11 with the carton 12 along the corners of the carton 12. Therefore, the material of a carton formed from a rectangular blank having parallel side edges would include material along the top, sides and bottom of the carton 12 at the opposite ends thereof which have no function and, if properly removed from a carton blank in the formation thereof, may be advantageously incorporated in an adjacently formed carton blank so that minimum of material may be required to form the carton blanks while retaining the original strength thereof. Accordingly, the side edges of the carton blank 13 are scalloped in the manner clearly shown in FIGURE 2.

It has been found that if each. side edge of the carton blank 13 is provided with four complete scalloped convolutions including a projection 45, and the fold lines 19 and 22 are centered on the remote projections, the fold lines 17 and 18 will extend transversely of the projections 45 lo cated generally centrally of the carton blank 13. Furthermore, if the scalloping of the edges of the carton blank 13 includes generally flat projecting and recessed 4 areas, the fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 22 all will be of the same length notwithstanding the fact that the fold lines 17 and 18 are not perfectly centered with respect to their corresponding projections 45. At this time it is pointed out that the width of the central panel 14 is greater than the width of the side panels 15 and 16 due to the particular configuration of the can 11 for which the carton blank 13 is intended. However, the invention is not so limited in that the height of each can 11 with respect to the diameter thereof may be such that the panels 14, 15

and 16 are of equal widths or the panel 14 may be narrower than the panels 15 and 16.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 in particular, it will be seen that each projection 45 is defined by an outer longitudinal edge 46 and oppositely sloping edges 47. Intermediate the adjacent projections 45, the side edges of the carton blank 13 are defined by an inner edge portion 48. The inner edge portions 48 are of the same length as the outer edge portions 46 and the projections '45 are complementary to the omitted areas therebetween.

It is pointed out that the distance between the fold line 22 and the adjacent end of the carton blank 13 is equal to the distance between the fold line 19 and the adjacent end of the carton blank 13 plus one half the distance between centers of adjacent projections 45. Thus, when two carton blanks 13 are disposed in oppositely facing relation, the side edges thereof will internest and the opposite ends thereof will be substantially in alignment. Because of this particular relationship of the carton blanks 13, it will be seen that when the carton blanks 13 are formed from a. sheet of material 50 which has a width that is a unit multiple of the length of the carton blank 13, the carton blanks 13 may be formed therefrom with a minimum of waste. Furthermore, when the sheet of material 50 is provided with scalloped or scroll cut longitudinal edges and the sheet of material 50 is of the correct length, the only Waste that will result in the forming of the carton blanks 13 will be that which normally occur even if the carton blanks were rectangular in outline. Therefore, the relationship of the scalloped edges of the carton blank 13 and the various panels thereof is such that there is a material saving of the material from which the carton blanks are formed.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 4 wherein there is illustrated a carton blank, generally referred to by the numeral 51 which is of the same construction as the carton blank 13, but wherein the scalloped edge thereof is rounded as opposed to the straight line scallop of the carton blank 13. It will be apparent that the edges of the carton blank 51 are defined by a plurality of outer straight line edge portions 52 and a plurality of inner straight line edge portions 53 joined by generally S-shaped intermediate edge portions 54.

The carton blank 51 has the same advantages as the carton blank 13 and will not be described in more detail here.

It is pointed out that although the cartons of this invention have been illustrated in conjunction with cans only, the invention is not so limited in that the cartons may be utilized in conjunction with bottles and similar containers, as well as the other pre-formed articles of similar configurations.

Although only two preferred embodiments of carton constructions have been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the disclosed carton constructions within the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An elongated wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined repectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a uniform scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, said lap panels having cooperating latch means, and the spacing between one of said side panels and an adjacent end of said wrapper blank being substantially equal to the spacing between the other of said side panels and the other end of said wrapper blank plus one-half the length of a convolution of said scallop-like configuration whereby adjacent wrapper blanks in reversely turned relation internest and have substantially aligned ends.

2. An elongated wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldable joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, said scalloplike configuration including three complete identical convolutions between remote edges of said side panels and the outwardly protruding portions of said edges including central areas of maximum width disposed at the fold lines between said panels.

3. The wrapper blank of claim 2 wherein said central panel has a dimension longitudinally of said blank different from the similar dimension of said side panels.

4. An elongated wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a scallop-like configuration long both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, said scalloplike configuration including three complete identical convolutions between remote edges of said side panels, said lap panels having cooperating latch means, and the spacing between one of said side panels and an adjacent end of said wrapper blank being substantially equal to the spacing between the other of said side panels and the other end of said wrapper blank plus one half the length of a convolution of said scallop-like configuration whereby adjacent wrapper blanks in reversely turned relation internest and have substantially aligned ends.

5. A pair of elongated wrapper blanks disposed in oppositely facing directions with the ends of said wrapper blanks being substantially aligned, each wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a uniform scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, and said scallop-like configuration being common to the two wrapper blanks.

6. An elongated wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a uniform scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, and the spacing between one of said side panels and an adjacent end of said wrapper blank being substantially equal to the spacing between the other of said side panels and the other end of said wrapper blank plus one half the length of a convolution of said scallop-like configuration and where adjacent wrapper blanks in reversely turned relation internest and have substantially aligned ends.

7. An elongated wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a uniform scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the entire length thereof, and the spacing between one of said side panels and an adjacent end of said wrapper blank being substantially equal to the spacing between the other of said side panels and the other end of said wrapper blank plus an odd one-half multiple of the length of a convolution of said scallop-like configuration and where adjacent wrapper blanks in reversely turned relation internest and have substantially aligned ends.

8. A pair of identical elongated wrapper blanks disposed in oppositely facing directions with the ends of said wrapper blanks being substantially aligned, each wrapper blank comprising a main panel, a pair of side panels foldably joined respectively to opposite side edges of said main panel, and a pair of lap panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said side panels remote from said main panel, the end edges of each of said panels being cutaway to form a uniform scallop-like configuration along both edges of the blank for substantially the the entire length thereof, and said uniform scallop-like configuration being common to the two wrapper blanks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,708 11/1920 Jones. 2,795,365 6/ 1957 Currie. 2,962,202 11/ 1960 Hanson. 3,122,302 2/ 1964 Wood 229-40 3,163,322 12/ 1964 Weiss 229-40 X 3,194,476 7/ 1965 Weiss 22940 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELONGATED WRAPPER BLANK COMPRISING A MAIN PANEL, A PAIR OF SIDE PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED RESPECTIVELY TO OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF SAID MAIN PANEL, AND A PAIR OF LAP PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED RESPECTIVELY TO THE EDGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS REMOTE FROM SAID MAIN PANEL, THE END EDGES OF EACH OF SAID PANELS BEING CUTAWAY TO FORM A UNIFORM SCALLOP-LIKE CONFIGURATION ALONG BOTH EDGES OF THE BLANK FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID LAP PANELS HAVING COOPERATING LATCH MEANS, AND THE SPACING BETWEEN 